During the
Cold War, CCK was used by the
United States Air Force as a support installation of
United States Taiwan Defense Command. At the same time, it was also the largest air base of the US military stationed in Taiwan, with about 6,000-8,000 US troops stationed. In 1954, the US
Military Assistance Advisory Group, Taiwan (MAAG, Taiwan) was stationed at the base. USAF use of the base began in 1958 with the deployment of twelve
Lockheed F-104 Starfighters from the
83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron during the
Quemoy crisis. The crisis was peacefully resolved, and the aircraft were returned to the United States. From August 1958 to January 1959, the
51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing deployed eight
F-86Ds to Ching Chuan Kang Air Base Taiwan to fly combat air support missions for Republic of China Armed Forces. In February 1960, after US Air Force a survey of bases on Taiwan it was decided that Kung Kuan AB would best suit the needs of USAF tactical units. In 10 – 20 May 1960, the
67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing aircraft were deployed to Kung Kuan AB (later Ching Chuan Kang). From 20 May – 13 June 1960, the
Tactical Air Command (TAC) deployed the
474th Tactical Fighter Wing,
428th Tactical Fighter Squadron from
Nellis Air Force Base,
Nevada, to Kung Kuan AB. From 4–14 June 1960, the
18th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed aircraft from
Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa to Kung Kuan AB. 4-11 December 1960, the
405th Fighter Wing deployed
F-102 Delta Dagger from
Clark Air Base,
Philippines to Kung Kuan AB. 14 – 28 March 1961, the
18th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed the
15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron from
Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa to Kung Kuan Air Base,
Taiwan with
McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo. 18 – 25 April 1961,
18th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed a detachment of
12th Tactical Fighter Squadron from
Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa to Kung Kuan Air Base with
North American F-100 Super Sabre. 11 – 24 May 1961, the
39th Air Division based at
Misawa Air Base,
Japan deployed a task force of reconnaissance aircraft to Kung Kuan AB, Taiwan. 1 August – 30 September 1961,
F-102 Delta Dagger of
509th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron were deployed from
Clark AB to Kung Kuan AB in Operation BIG TRUCK. 6 – 12 March 1962, 18th Tactical Fighter Wing aircraft deployed to Kung Kuan AB. While there they participated in exercise FLYING TIGER, March 10 – 17, the
8th Tactical Fighter Wing was also deployed from
Itazuke Air Base,
Japan to Kung Kuan AB. 20-27 February 1963, The
510th Tactical Fighter Squadron was supported by Detachment 1, 6214th Air Base Group, Kung Kuan AB, during its deployment to Taiwan. 21 February 1963,
405th Fighter Wing deployed
F-102 Delta Dagger to Kung Kuan AB for participation in SKY SOLDIER III. 13 March – 15 May 1963, The 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron was supported by Detachment 1, 6214th Air Base Group at Kung Kuan AB for its deployment to Taiwan with
Republic F-105 Thunderchief. 17 – 27 March 1964, the
15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron was deployed from
Kadena Air Base to Kung Kuan AB for reconnaissance missions, equipped with
McDonnell RF-101 Voodoo. In April 1965, the
479th Tactical Fighter Wing at
George AFB California deployed two F-104C squadrons to CCK (434th and 435th TFS). On 17 April 1965,
General William H. Blanchard, Vice Chief of Staff, USAF, visited Ching Chuan Kang Air Base. He formally opened the new 1,000 man dining hall. On 2 February 1966, 6217th Combat Support Group was established in CCK. The following are the units that the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing once stationed at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan： • 434th Tactical Fighter Squadron (April 1965 – October 1965) (F-104C) • 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron (12 October 1965 – 21 December 1965) (F-104C)
Tactical Air Command reassigned the
314th Troop Carrier Wing, with
Fairchild C-123 Providers and
Lockheed C-130 Hercules to CCK on 22 January 1966 from
Sewart AFB,
Tennessee. Known squadrons were: • 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (February 1966 – May 1971) (Tail Code DE) • 345th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (February 1966 – May 1971) (Tail Code DH) • 346th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (March 1969 – May 1971) (Tail Code DY) • 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (February 1966 – May 1971) (Tail Code DL) These aircraft remained deployed to the base to provide passenger and cargo airlift throughout the Far East and combat airlift in Southeast Asia. The 314th TAW returned to
Little Rock AFB,
Arkansas in 1971. The 314th was replaced by the
Pacific Air Forces 374th Tactical Airlift Wing on 31 May 1971, being reassigned from
Naha AB, Okinawa, with CCK becoming a major depot support facility in Asia for theater-based tactical airlift aircraft. Known squadrons were: • 21st Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (May 1971 – November 1973) (Tail Code DY) • 37th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (December 1971 – March 1973) • 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (May 1971 – November 1973) (Tail Code DE) • 345th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (May 1971 – November 1973) (Tail Code DH) • 776th Tactical Airlift Squadron (C-130E) (May 1971 – November 1973) (Tail Code DL) The 374th remained heavily committed to support of operations in
Southeast Asia, and also continued routine airlift in other areas. One of the wing's humanitarian missions-flood relief in the Philippines-earned it a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation in 1972. The wing provided support in March 1973 for Operation Homecoming, the repatriation of American prisoners from Hanoi, North Vietnam. The increase in the
B-52 Arc Light sortie rates over Vietnam necessitated relocation of additional KC-135's which provided PACAF fighter support. In February 1968 the United States Air Force
Strategic Air Command 4220th Air Refueling Squadron deployed to CCK, bringing
KC-135 tankers formerly based at
Takhli RTAFB,
Thailand and
Kadena AB Okinawa. The KC-135s were redeployed to permit increased B-52 operations at U-Tapao and
F-111 deployment at Takhli. The move of the KC-135's to Ching Chuan Kang increased their effectiveness since they would be based nearer to Vietnam refueling areas. In addition, five
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield based radio relay aircraft were moved to Ching Chuan Kang by February 1968, along with approximately 450 additional USAF personnel. On 21 March 1968, after the
SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft #61-17974 of the
1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron of the
9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing completed a supersonic high-altitude reconnaissance operation against
North Vietnam, due to the bad weather at the
Kadena Air Base in
Okinawa, two aircraft Under the cover of the KC-135Q aerial tanker, it landed at the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base early. During the process, it also used the call sign of one of the
KC-135Q to avoid the
PRC’s surveillance. When it entered the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, the SR-71 pilots Major Jerry O'Malley and Colonel Ed Payne requested permission from the tower to land, and landed in the middle of the two KC-135Qs at a speed of 175 knots. Immediately after landing, the photographed film was transported to
Yokota Air Base in
Tokyo by
C-130 transporter for processing. It was also the first long-range strategic reconnaissance plane that landed in Taiwan. They returned to Kadena Air base on 23 March. On 31 May 1968, the 6217th Combat Support Group was disbanded. Two
Martin EB-57 Canberras from the
347th Tactical Fighter Wing based at
Yokota AB Japan deployed to CCK, between 29 November and 8 December 1968. These aircraft provided Republic of China Air Defense pilots an opportunity to detect and intercept enemy aircraft that used
electronic countermeasure (ECM) equipment. 5 December 1969, a C-130E -
50th Tactical Airlift Squadron 62-1800 crashed about 6 miles (9.65 km) south of
Tainan Air Base. 2 October 1970, a c-130 departed Songshan Airport in Taipei with incoming Airforce personnel to CCK. It crashed 6 minutes after take off on top of a mountain and all on board were killed. That aircraft was one of two c-130 sent from CCK to Songshan Airport in Taipei to transport incoming personnel. On 20 February 1972 a Lockheed HC-130 set a world record [that still stands] for a
great circle distance without landing with a turboprop aircraft of , flying from Ching Chuan Kang AB to
Scott AFB,
Illinois. The
18th Tactical Fighter Wing based at
Kadena AB,
Okinawa maintained two Squadron of
McDonnell F-4C Phantom II aircraft from November 1972 until May 1975. On 6 November 1972, the 18th Wing dispatched the
McDonnell Douglas F-4C/D Phantom II fighters of
44th Fighter Squadron and
67th Fighter Squadron to the Ching Chuan Kang Air Base until 31 May 1975, to assist Taiwan's defense against aerial threats from China. The following are the units that the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing once stationed at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan： • 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: ZL) (6 November 1972 – 10 April 1975) (F-4C/D) • 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Tail Code: ZG) (6 November 1972 – 31 May 1975) (EF-4C, F-4D) In March 1973, the number of US troops stationed at CCK was about 5,000. 16 September 1973 - A 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-4C aircraft crashed during a temporary duty assignment in Taiwan; the crewmembers safely ejected. 15 October 1973, an EF-4C 63-7462 of the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron crashed shortly after takeoff from CCK AB. On 13 November 1973, the
374th TAW was reassigned to
Clark Air Base in the
Philippines. On November 15, 1973, the 6217th Combat Support Group was reactivated. On 1 September 1974, the 6217th Combat Support Group was renamed the 6217th Tactical Group. On 10 April 1975, the
44th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the
18th Tactical Fighter Wing withdrew from Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taichung, Taiwan, total of 24
McDonnell F-4C/D Phantom II fighters and 450 pilots and ground crews to
Kadena Air Base in
Okinawa. In May 1975, the
67th Tactical Fighter Squadron was withdrawn from CCK AB, Taiwan, with the final squadron of 18 F-4Cs departing for
Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa, between 27 and 31 May. From 1 June 1975, due to the withdrawal of F-4 fighter jets, the 6217th Tactical Group was reorganized to the 6217th Air Base Squadron, and CCK AB had been placed in
caretaker status. By 31 July 1975, the number of US troops stationed at CCK AB was 571. From 1977, the number of US troops stationed at CCK AB has been reduced to 100. On 1 January 1979, the US normalized relations with the
People's Republic of China (PRC). on 25 April 1979, which resulted in the lowering of the national flag by US Air Force personnel and their withdrawal from the base.
World's longest turboprop aircraft distance record On 20 February 1972, Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Allison, USAF, and his flight crew set a recognized turboprop aircraft class record of for a great circle distance without landing. The USAF Lockheed HC-130H was flown from Ching Chuan Kang Air Base to
Scott Air Force Base, Illinois in the United States. As of 2018, this record still stands more than 40 years later. ==Accidents and incidents==